Today is Earth Day

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is “Restore Our Earth” which focuses on natural processes and emerging green technologies that can restore the world’s ecosystems.

The first Earth Day happened in 1970. For decades leading up to the first Earth Day, Americans were subject to huge amounts of leaded gas feeding inefficient cars and trucks. Industrial smoke stacks spewed smoke and sludge creating air pollution. Until this point, America was basically unconcerned with the environment and how a polluted environment threatened human health.

Thankfully, Rachel Carson’s New York Times best selling book, Silent Spring (1962), set the stage for change. The book sold over 500,000 copies in 24 countries and raised public awareness and concern for the environment, human health and all living things.

Senator Gaylord Nelson, a junior senator from Wisconsin, announced an idea in 1969 for a teach-in on college campuses to draw attention to the deteriorating environment in the United States. April 22nd was chosen as the date because it was a weekday between Spring Break and Final Exams. They called it Earth Day.

Morrisville Food Co-op would like to encourage everyone to be mindful of their contributions to our environment, both negative and positive. We carry a wide range of environmentally-friendly products, many locally made. You’ll find a few listed below.

From all of us here at the Morrisville Food Co-op, we are honored to be serving our community during this time and
thank you for supporting your local food coop!